africanlegalstudies.blog – Cutting edge analysis on key issues in African politics, law and development

Investment and Investor Protection in Somalia
Introduction With Somalia’s accession to the East African Community (EAC), the internal market of this community is also becoming increasingly attractive for foreign investments. A common market with over 300 million populations is developing, and there is not only a common internal market. It also has an excellent strategic location from the Indian Ocean to…
Is Article 34 (6) rendering the African Human Rights System ineffective?
Introduction The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the ‘African Charter’) is the central international human rights instrument charged with the promotion and protection of human rights on the African continent. It established the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the ‘African Commission’),[1] which makes quasi-judicial recommendations on the communications it receives and…
Universalism of Human Rights versus Cultural Relativism within the African discourse
Introduction The discourse surrounding cultural relativism and universalism in the context of human rights is a contentious and thought-provoking subject which is not just an academically discussed issue, but also repeatedly gains media attention in various circumstances. One very good example of this was the past Football World Cup in Qatar that heated the minds…

From Dubai to Baku: Energy Justice at the COPs and the Question of Fossil Fuel Abandonment
The twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties (COP28), which took place in Dubai from 30 November to 13 December 2023, made a modest yet significant contribution to energy justice by expressing a nuanced position on phasing out global fossil fuel development and use. While the COP recognised that urgent measures were needed to respond to the…
Our development is inextricably linked to the past and next generation
1. Introduction Natural resources, including minerals, belong to our common heritage, entrusted to present and future generations to support their respective needs.[1] In this respect, mineral resources have the potential to enhance the right to development,[2] a fundamental human right enshrined in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Charter) and in the…
The Legal Analysis of Community Rights in Environment Decision-Making in the Federal Republic of Somalia
Introduction People often feel hopeless and powerless to protect the environment, themselves, their families and their individual rights. However, through the creative use of the law, a number of notable successes for the environment and people have been recorded in many countries.[1] Environmental decision-making in Somalia stands at the intersection of legal, social, and environmental considerations, with…

Investment and Investor Protection in Somalia
Introduction With Somalia’s accession to the East African Community (EAC), the internal market of this community is also becoming increasingly attractive for foreign investments. A common market with over 300 million populations is developing, and there is not only a common internal market. It also has an excellent strategic location from the Indian Ocean to…
The East African Community: Past Experiences and Lessons for the Future
Introduction The East Africa Community (EAC) is one of the oldest regional economic blocs in the world.[1] Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, as members of EAC, had a customs union as early as 1927.[2] While this regional bloc collapsed in 1977, it was re-established in 2000 and grew from three to eight countries, including Uganda, Kenya,…
The Legal Analysis of Community Rights in Environment Decision-Making in the Federal Republic of Somalia
Introduction People often feel hopeless and powerless to protect the environment, themselves, their families and their individual rights. However, through the creative use of the law, a number of notable successes for the environment and people have been recorded in many countries.[1] Environmental decision-making in Somalia stands at the intersection of legal, social, and environmental considerations, with…